Follow my story as I leave my son and husband to take up a new job 90 miles from home after years of being a stay-at-home mother and wife; and as my time in Leicester comes to end, dealing with what comes next...

Monday, January 15, 2007

Office Politics

This was my first full week of work since the Christmas holidays... and it was tough. Not only did I have the daily grind to worry about, office politics began to rear it's ugly head in my direction. One ofthe things I liked about contracting was; it was simple, you go in, do a job and then get out. No point over-exerting yourself as there are no promotion prospects plus if you do what you were employed todo, your job is safe for the duration.

I had already established that I was working with a lot of unprofessional people who see in their work here not just a job but also a substitue family support system. One of the young-girl trainers, the 24 year old, spent the greater part of the week crying, refusing to come into work and threatening to leave all because whilst she was training her own colleagues, somebody said something 'not nice' to her. Please note, nobody insulted her or abused her or even threatened her, they just did not speak nice to her. This is the same problem I had with them when I first started and now it was happening again, only with someone else. This time, it was clear to all that they were dealing with a very immature human being. She sent text to the manager that everyone was a back-stabber including him. I later found out that she had propositioned him saying if she did not have her current boyfriend, she would be with him in a shot. I'm probably naive but I did not believe this was going on in a professional I.T environment.

By the time the week was out, after much negotiations with the manager and the support of her sister, who actually came into work with her to make sure she was okay, she went round to every member of the team apologising for her behaviour. Fair enough... I'll just sit back and wait for the next 'House of Tiny Tearaways' episode here at work.

When mothers returning to work joke that working with their children has given them the skills to cope in the workplace, they aren't actually joking...

The course I specialise in is BW, it is a specialist course only trained out to senior management and it seems someone is not happy about that and wants me to train it out to a few of my colleagues so the knowledge is not monopolised by only one person - me. My friend, Sandra, is not happy about that... she wants me to hold on to my skills and make myself invaluable. This is the sort of wheeling and dealing I do not want to do. I have always believed that as it is God who got me into this role, it would be Him that would manage things in my favour. The minute I go to take control of it myself, I would make a mess of it.

I contemplated on this as I drove to the other work site for a meeting with the BW Senior deployment team. I really wanted to find out from them when the BW material would be ready so I could train it out to my colleagues. However, when I got there, they were furious that the Training Manager was planning to have trainers inexperienced in BW train it out. They made a long list of this and other issues they felt were a problem and told me they would take care of it. I believe this has taken the matter out of my hands and I can focus on what I need to do my job.

Talking about work in general, I had been pondering about the other job offer I had received, working with the Church Office and I do have a dilemna on my hands:

1. If I leave this job before May to work for church:a) Benjamin would be upset and never find me a job again should I need him in the futureb) I would be broke earning much less moneyc) I.T career would go off the rails – again!

2. If I leave this job before May for another job:a) Church would be upsetb) Benjamin would be upset and never find me a job again should I need him in the future

3. If I wait till end of contract in May to leave this job then get another I.T job in London:a) Church would be upset

4. If I wait till May to leave this job for churcha) I would be broke earning less moneyb) I.T career would go off the rails

What a situation?

I've only highlighted the negatives because whichever option I choose, the positive would be living in London and being at home with Tunji and Kitan again.

When I sent this list above to Tunji for his comment, he had some really good suggestions and insight into the situation. If you do too, please share.

3 comments:

My advice would be... stick with the job. All jobs have their burdens... that's the nature of being in an office with a multitude of people of diff. ages, cultures and level of maturity / professionalism. You can't leave a job everytime it gets a little hairy... you would end up leaving all the time!Also, it's good money. It pas the bills and makes life a little easier for you and Tunji. I know money isn't everything... but God gave you this job. Hence, He knew you needed the money!... and he has given it to you! Do not throw this gift (needed by so many) away!I know it's hard living away from home, but it seems like you are coping well. In fact, I do not know anyone else who would be able to cope any better. May is just around the corner... in the grand scheme of things.So May comes... job in London (more money, career on track, fulfilling) or job in the church (less money, career off track, fulfilling? Personally, I think you should choose to keep your career on track and more money. The church, in the true meaning of what a church should mean, will understand that you had to make another choice. Being "upset" should not come into it... God's work will always be done, if not by you, someone else will be there to do it. Also, who is to say that you will not be doing God's work in your day-to-day life? God gave you the ability to study for your career, excel and the health to work... I dare anyone to say that He would ever begrudge you your choice to take forward the profession HE has chosen for you!!"People" in the church may be upset... but I doubt whether "the church" can be upset at anyone.You do God's work daily. He wants you to be a good wife, mother and person. To excel in who you are! So, please, do not make a decision based on whether the people in church will be upset!!If, however, you feel the strong calling to dedicate your time to working in the church, go ahead! God will make it possible, and the finances and things you are worrying about will not be an obstacle... they will become bonuses.That's all just my opinion... Pray and take guidance from Above.